Bolton Wanderers vs. West Bromwich Albion

Bolton Wanderers: Bigger Than Yours

It's bigger than that one. And bigger than that one. And definitely bigger than that one. And, possibly, bigger than that one.

In a line of absolutely massive games that Bolton have played this season, tomorrow's game against West Brom is SO big, they had, to quote Frank Drebin, give it an extra half. Not that we will need another forty five minutes tomorrow.

That sound you can hear is West Brom packing their suitcases. Roy Hodgson is off in two games and just as we suspected that Spurs may up their games now that they know that Harry is staying, so West Brom may figure 'what's the point' now that Roy is on his way to the top job. With a crowd urging them on to replicate those twenty minutes against Spurs, the Baggies stand no chance.

Of course, it won't work out like that and the last time a midtable side came to T'Reebok, they out shot us nearly three to one. That kind of shenanigans will have to be cut out.

With QPR playing Stoke, who are also out purchasing shades and lotion, this is a must win game. More must win than the last one, and the one before that, and the one before that etc. etc.

Vital Quotes:

'I don't think he will have his eye off the ball. They have an outstanding man and he has earned that England position.' St Owen bigging up the opposition manager again. To be fair, he wasn't going to say anything like 'Roy Hodgson? Ye dopey sassanach bastards' now, was he?

'Our crowd have been magnificent since day one (err...day one was at Loftus Road, OC), they are a very educated support (err....OC obviously doesn't read Twitter) and they are understand what we are trying to do at the football club(He's talking to you AussieMike). They can see the transition that is taking place with the younger players coming through (like Vela (40 minutes football) O'Halloran (10 minutes football) and Sordell (-20minutes football)) and what we are trying to do in longevity. We also accept that in the short term we have to stay in the (all together now) BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE'

'I went to watch Bolton against Tottenham and certainly for sixty minutes they were right in the game. They equalised and obviously have a threat in Davies and N'Gog up front. Davies has certainly added some presence up there in the last game or two and changed the game against Aston Villa in fact. So, he is going to be a threat, as is Petrov on the wing' Uncle Roy is too big to do prematch these days, so assistant Keith 'Stuart' Downing takes charge. Notice he doesn't mention the fact we let in four.

Bolton Wanderers Team News:

Nigel Reo-Coker (out)/Josh Vela (in), blah, blah, blah.

Darren Pratley virus, out for the rest of the season. That dance I did a few weeks back seemed to do the trick.

Steinsson still has a thigh injury meaning that Boyata may continue to play and 'do well.' (The managers words, not mine).

LCY back in the match squad after we were told in no uncertain terms that there was no way in the world he would play this season. OC currently on phone to Ray Train and Neil McNab.

Right, so now we have that sorted out, if NRC is out I wouldn't trust a midfield of Vela/Mavies and would suggest a 4-5-1 again, with SKD up front. This, however, may necessitate a recall for Sir Knight of Galumph, with Ream pushed forward. Our bones are that bare.

Player to watch: SKD

Once again, we look to our talisman/warhorse/veteran/OAP to lead the line. He was sufficiently snuffed out by Spurs on Wednesday, although he did play a part in our goal. He has been written off enough times this season and come back and if ever we needed an SKD performance of SKD proportions, it is tomorrow.

West Bromwich Albion Team News:

Good news. Peter Odemwingie is a doubt. So that's one problem taken care of. Elswhere, James Morrison is available. After a gruelling tour, no doubt.

Player to watch: Ben Foster

He had better be busy tomorrow, no matter that he has taken time off sitting on England's bench to prolong his career. Part of the Baggie's success has been a good back line and Foster is unlucky that a talent like Joe Hart has come at the same time as him. Naturally, he will let in two tomorrow.

Match Facts & Stats

West Brom have won more away games this season than anyone outside the top five other than Liverpool, which is excellent news. Since Bolton and West Brom played each other for the first time at Pikes in 1888, The Baggies winning 2-1, they have played each other sixty six times in the league in the north west, Bolton leading 32-15 and 47-43 overall. The away side haven't won at T'Reebok in the Premier League and only once since 1992. But we saw on Wednesday where history can shove itself.

David Jack is Bolton's leading scorer in the fixture with nine whilst in the Premier League it is Matt Taylor and Johan Elmander with two.

Ref Watch:

It's Kevin Friend meaning that it can only be Clattenburg next week. Tosser.

Match Prediction:

2-0 to Bolton in a game so one sided you could turn it into a film and call it 'The Massacre of Winter Hill'. And cast Ray Winstone as Kevin Davies.

Next Fixtures:

Nail bitingly into the final game of the season at the den of the inbred, Stoke, next Sunday.

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Your Comments (oldest first)

LOL is banded about a lot but I am laughing here! To turn depressing reading funny is a skill in itself. If we go down, Mr X, are you off to a bigger club? With all Coyle's 'Barclay's Premier League...' shout outs, I heard he banks with RBS! I wonder if the irony is lost on him...

I wouldn't trust a Vela-Mavies midfield either, so I'd push Ream up, but rather than play Kryten (from Red Dwarf, my Dad and I call Knight that because of the 50p-head that they share; Knight's headers go everywhere, and because their names look vaguely similar on paper) I would move Boyata into the middle (did well against Spurs in the F.A. Cup) and play Riley at RB.
My team: Jaaskelainen, Riley, Wheater, Boyata, Ricketts, Vela, Ream, Mavies, Eagles, Petrov, SKD

Match has just finished. Thanks to the most inept, amateurish, lazy, and hopeless defensive display I have ever seen in nearly forty years we will probably be relegated. Ricketts, Wheater, Ream, Boyata and Knight should all go and wander around in a Sunday League somewhere, because this is their level. They are an embarrasment and I hope I never see any of them in a Bolton shirt again after this season, in fact i'd rather see four youth team defenders at Stoke next week than this set of overpaid clowns. Seriously, get rid of the lot.

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